Exemptions for ADHD drugs in MLB drop to lowest in decade

NEW YORK (AP) — The number of major leaguers allowed to use otherwise-banned drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder dropped to the lowest level since the sport started issuing annual reports in 2008.

The results come in a report issued Monday by Thomas Martin, the Independent Program Administrator for the drug program of Major League Baseball and the players' association.

There were 91 therapeutic use exemptions for HDHD drugs in the year ending with the 2019 World Series. That was down from the previous lows, 101 last year, and 103 in 2017. Exemptions for hyperactivity disorder had ranged from 105-119 annually from 2008-16, prompting some to criticize their issuance as too lenient.

Drugs prescribed to treat HDHD often contain amphetamine and methylphenidate, stimulants on baseball's banned list.

The overwhelming therapeutic exemptions in MLB are for ADHD. There were just three in the past year for other conditions, one each for hypersomnia, hypogonadism and kidney disease,

MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem has said the sport's experts maintain the condition is more frequent in young adult males than among the general population.

Halem and the union did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report.

Total drug tests rose to 11,619, including 9,332 urine samples to detect performance-enhancing substances, stimulants and the drug DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), and 2,287 blood samples used to detect Human Growth Hormone. That was up slightly from 11,526 tests in the year ending with the 2018 World Series.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Exemptions-for-ADHD-drugs-in-MLB-drop-to-lowest-14871124.php